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The United States will hold its midterm elections on November 3, a crucial vote that will help determine the political trajectory of President Donald Trump’s final two years in office. Trump himself, however, will not appear on any ballot.
Held halfway through a president’s four-year term, the midterm elections determine control of Congress, as well as the governors and thousands of state-level legislative positions across the country.
If Democrats take control of either chamber of Congress, they could make it more difficult for Trump to advance his agenda and increase congressional oversight of his administration. A Republican victory, meanwhile, would allow the party to maintain its control in Washington.
House of Representatives
435: All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election every two years.
218: A party needs 218 seats to secure a majority in the 435-member House.
3: Democrats need to gain three seats compared with their 2024 performance to take control of the House. Republicans won a 220–215 majority in 2024. However, following deaths, resignations and a party switch, the House currently has 218 Republicans, 214 Democrats and one independent, with two seats vacant. Republicans can therefore lose two seats and still retain their majority, but losing three would cost them control.
Senate and State Elections
35: Thirty-five Senate seats are up for election. Thirty-three are regular six-year elections, while two special elections are being held in Florida and Ohio.
100: Republicans currently hold a 53–47 majority in the 100-member Senate, including two independents who generally vote with Democrats. Democrats would therefore need a net gain of four seats to reach 51 and take control. A 50–50 tie would give Vice President JD Vance the deciding vote.
36: Thirty-six states—nearly three-quarters of the country—will hold gubernatorial elections.
6,139: This is the number of seats being contested in regular state legislative elections across 88 of the country’s 99 state legislative chambers.
What the Polls Show
53%–41%: A PBS News/NPR/Marist poll conducted on September 14–15 found that 53% of registered voters said they would support a Democratic candidate for Congress, compared with 41% who preferred a Republican candidate.
Among independent voters, Democrats also held a significant advantage, with 57% supporting Democratic candidates and 32% supporting Republicans.
32%–41%: Major polls conducted in September put Trump’s approval rating within this range.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found Trump’s approval rating among US adults at 32%, his lowest level of his political career. Among registered voters, Marist put his approval at 39%, while an NBC News poll recorded 41%.
Because the surveys used different methodologies and samples, the figures are not directly comparable. However, none suggested that Trump’s popularity would provide a major boost to Republican candidates in congressional races.
55%: Fifty-five percent of registered voters told NBC News that Trump’s policies had harmed the US economy, while 26% said they had benefited the economy.
Nearly $12 Billion in Campaign Advertising
Nearly $12 billion: This is the estimated amount that could be spent on political advertising during the 2025–26 election cycle.
Advertising-tracking company AdImpact forecasts that approximately $11.6 billion will be spent on political advertising. That would exceed the previous midterm record of $8.9 billion set in 2022 and could even surpass advertising spending during the 2024 presidential election.
Other Key Figures
2,497: This is the number of candidates who competed in congressional primary elections this year—the highest figure recorded in any election cycle since at least 2014. Of them, 2,232 competed for House seats.
44: In 44 House races on November 3, the Democratic and Republican candidates are the same candidates who faced each other in 2024. In other words, the two major parties are once again fielding the same nominees in those contests. Source: AFP.